Prayer Requests
God’s blessing through this transition: new home, new city, new job, new church family, new life!
That God would help us to live gospel-centered community in our neighborhood, reaching out and having neighbors in our home from day one.
Upcoming Events
Summer Missions Trip High School students are headed to Austria to partner with local churches put on an English speaking youth camp. Jul 19-31 .
Support Update
Though my service with SMI is ending, your gracious support of SMI has allowed me to prepare for future ministry by facilitating my ministry involvement and development! I encourage you to consider continued giving to SMI, which will help facilitate ministry opportunities and investment in other student ministers.
To continue to make tax deductible contributions to SMI, send support to:
Student Ministries, Inc.
300 W. Davis, Suite 530
Conroe, TX 77301
SMI ID# 21498
Thank you for your partnership through prayers and financial gifts to SMI.
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| Ministry Moment |
It was one of those moments where I was preaching to myself. I was having breakfast with a student. I asked him what he thought God was trying to teach him in his life right now. He said, “I need to stop being lazy and be more disciplined, with my school work and in my sports.” I asked, “Are you being lazy in your spiritual life?…in your daily devotions?” He said, “Yeah.” In a moment of clarity, I said, “Focus on your spiritual laziness first. Cuz if you get better there, Christ in you will make you
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a better student, a better athlete, a better everything. Your nearness to God and Christ working through you WILL affect every area of your life. If you focus on the others in your own strength, you’ll run out quick.” As soon as the words left my mouth, the conviction sank deep into my heart, that I have been spiritually lazy. Then this passage came to mind, 1 Timothy 4:8 “For physical exercise (discipline) has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.”
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God’s Justice League. We’ve started a Sunday morning series on the Minor Prophets. This past Sunday we preached on Amos, who rebuked the Israelites for thinking that they were exempt from the justice of God and thought they could do whatever they wanted since they were chosen by God. So the message to our students was, “Because Justice is for all, know God’s justice comes to you, and uphold God’s justice for others—BE GOD’S JUSTICE LEAGUE.
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| Ministry Update |
DBSM Serve
One Saturday in April we had about 30 students, leaders and parents go work in the community garden, about 70 students, leaders and parents go reach out to the Denton West Mobile Home Community. We went door to door, mowing lawns for free, playing soccer with children, replacing water heaters, giving free clothes and free burgers.
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As a result of the outreach and relationships built there, 6 people believed in Jesus there that day!
Huddle Serve
One Wednesday in April, instead of coming in to the Mill for Elevate we went out into the community as huddle groups to do service projects (nursing home visitation, senior shut in visitation, Mill/Hangar
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maintenance, resale shop service, babysitting, cleaning neighbors homes/yards, etc.). It was fun to hear all of the success stories from our leaders of how much great relationship building time they had with students on these service projects, how much fun the students had serving, and how they got to see how happy it made the people they served.
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| Personal Update |
Well I am a DTS graduate. Even though I have received my Masters in Theology, Kristin still refuses to call me “Master.” Please pray for her.
This is a crazy time of transition for us that has been a long time coming. Because there is no full time position for me at DBC, we’ve looked elsewhere and finally accepted a position at Faith Bible Church in Bryan, Texas. It took us a while to come around to the idea of moving to a much smaller church in Aggie land. Logan (die hard |
Longhorn fan) hated the idea until I told him that when we get into a house we can get a basketball goal... Now he’s all in!
But he wasn’t the only one uncertain about the move. From day one the job description, ministry philosophy and people were a perfect fit. But I was terrified of the distance (geographically and metaphorically) of all things familiar. Yet is was so cool to see God give me and Kristin both a “peace that surpasses all comprehension” (Phil 4:7) about moving to Bryan. |
To the end of the decision making process, I was fearful. God rebuked me with Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go”…(even Bryan, TX). So I said, “Okay God, let’s do this!”
So, May will be our last month with SMI and DBC. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support through this journey. God has been so good! Keep up with us on Facebook. Peace out, friends. Love, The Vanderveers |
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